The Double Date of Dragon Destiny
by FictionIsSocialInquiry
Summary: As if being Firelord wasn't hard enough, now Zuko's a father… of a devilishly enthusiastic baby dragon.


**Pro-Bending Circuit | Semi Finals**

 **Team & Position: **Laogai Lion Vultures, in place of our firebender

 **First Story in Sequence:** Character A (Sun Warrior Chief) & B (Zuko)

 **Prompts Used:** (plot point) someone has just woken up from a nightmare | (restriction) Start with the sentence "Who would have thought it would lead to this?"

 **Bonus:** Use of element (fire)

 **Word Count:** 2,000

 **Summary:** As if being Firelord wasn't hard enough, now Zuko's a father… of a devilishly enthusiastic baby dragon.

* * *

 **The Double Date of Dragon Destiny**

'Who would have thought it would lead to this?' Zuko muttered, remembering the awful vividness of the nightmare as the tiny, slimy dragon pulled itself up his robes.

'Not me,' Mai whispered, wonder in her tone.

Aang's smile was largest of all. 'The universe has a way of balancing itself,' he said knowingly, reaching out to touch the slippery creature's vermillion hide. 'Hey, little guy! My name is Aang.'

'He can't understand you,' Mai said with a touch more of her usual dourness.

'Yes, he can.' The words were out of Zuko's mouth before he knew he'd spoken them. Couldn't the others see that intelligent sparkle in the little dragon's eye, the knowing tilt of his head?

Katara raised a brow. 'You speak dragon now?'

He glanced to their audience for an explanation. Ran and Shaw hovered over the stone courtyard, their eyes like gemstones as they watched the tiny creature shed the last of its egg and cling to the young Firelord's arm. Below the ancient dragons, the Sun Warriors were all prostrate. The gleam of their jewellry — golden earrings and necklaces of silver — sparkled brightly as the sun bore down towards the horizon.

Aang's words from their first visit to the Sun Warrior's civilisation rang guiltily in Zuko's memory: _You had to pick up the glowing egg, didn't you?_ He hadn't listened then, and he certainly hadn't listened just now. Not when the egg seemed to call to him with a voice beyond hearing, calling to some place inside Zuko that was reserved for his breath when he practiced his firebending. The words had stirred a wildfire in his heart that was only stoked higher when he met the little creature's eyes.

The same eyes from his dream… no, his nightmare.

* * *

 _The dragon Fang couldn't outrun the encroaching fire. It roared and snarled and flared and snapped, and the old dragon could not long keep from the flame's path. Eyes scrutinised Fang's flagging strength from the depths of the fire's cherry reds and sunset oranges. Zuko watched in suspended horror as the trailing flames engulfed the ancient dragon, his screams clashing against Zuko's ears—_

'Ahhhh!'

'Zuko? What the hell's going on?!'

The Firelord braced his hands against the mattress on either side of him, heaving in air as though he'd been the one to outrun the flames.

'Just a dream…?' He touched one hand to his face; the familiar burn on his left side ached dully.

A cool arm threaded around his shoulders. 'Are you okay?'

He nearly flinched, until the familiar voice soothed the last of the nightmare's panic from his limbs. 'Mai?'

'Who else?' she ask sardonically, her face pale in the gloom. 'What happened?'

He pressed his lips into a tight line. 'A nightmare.'

Worry creased her brow as she stroked the outline of his scar. 'Your father again?'

He shook his head, taking her hand in his. 'The dragons,' he breathed as clarity washed the haze of fear from his mind. 'Something's happened to Ran and Shaw.'

'Those dragons you met with the Avatar?'

He nodded, pressing the heel of his palms against his eyes. 'I saw Avatar Roku's dragon get engulfed by fire, he… I think something's wrong with the dragons. I have to go to them.'

Mai's grip tightened on his shoulder, effectively stopping his attempt to detangle himself from the bedsheets. 'Before you go rushing off in the night and cause a scandal, maybe you should write to Aang.'

'Aang?'

She sighed, but her hands remained gentle, soothing. 'You say you saw Avatar Roku's dragon, right? Well, can't the Avatar talk to his past lives or something like that?'

Zuko could have smacked himself; how could he forget? 'He can!'

Mai nodded. 'Then you should write to him.'

Zuko nodded, already composing the letter in his thoughts. 'Thank you,' he said earnestly, kissing her chastely on the lips. 'Thank you.'

Mai dropped back into the pillows and waved him off. 'Now stop interrupting my sleep with your crazy dreams.'

Zuko nearly smiled as he donned a maroon robe and made for his study. _Why do I feel like you're part of this too, Aang…?_

* * *

The Sun Warrior Chief was the first of the prostrate warriors to approach the four friends clustered around the baby dragon. His usually stern demeanor was decidedly unguarded, awe scribbled across his face as he took in the wriggling hatchling in the Firelord's arms. The baby dragon was just shy of two feet long, his scales as deep red as summer grass fires with a pale golden mane that ran the length of his neck. His small, curved talons were as snowy white as his teeth and the two stubby wings by his shoulders, though nearly useless now, would one day send him hurtling through the skies.

'There has not been a new dragon born to this world for a hundred years,' the Sun Warrior Chief said in amazement, reaching out a hand for the baby.

Zuko stepped back, drawing the dragon against his chest. 'And now there is,' he said slowly, watching the older man with a scowl.

'That dragon is under the protection of the Sun Warriors. Give him to me.'

'He hatched for me!'

Aang stepped forward hurriedly, anxiety creasing his brow. 'Okay, okay, everybody calm down.'

But Zuko was livid at the thought of anyone trying to take away his dragon. With a start he realised the baby dragon was _his_ now, and in an even stranger way, he realised he also belonged to the dragon. There was a tangible connection between them, an entwining of destiny that made the thought of having to give up the little creature unthinkable.

'The dragon chose me,' he told the Chief hotly as the hatchling crawled up to his shoulder. 'I'm bound by my honour as the Firelord and as a firebender to protect him.'

The Sun Warrior Chief frowned darkly, turning to Aang. 'You're the Avatar, you're meant to keep balance! His people nearly destroyed the dragons! And now he wants to take one of the few remaining?'

Aang's uncertainty was clear. 'We need to all calm down, sit, and talk this out. We'll find the best option for everyone.'

Zuko met his friend's gaze steadily. 'Is this going to be like Yu Dao all over again?'

'I hope not,' the Avatar replied, worry etching lines into his brow.

Mai gave a pronounced yawn. 'Well, this is getting really boring and really stupid,' she said loudly, crossing her arms over her chest.

Katara was shaking her head, looking between Zuko, Aang, and the Sun Warrior Chief. 'Mai's right, this _is_ stupid.' She turned to face the Chieftain. 'Zuko isn't his father, or his grandfather. Not everyone in his family has hurt the dragons; his uncle is proof of that.'

Mai cleaned the dirt from her nails primly. 'And he's got about a hundred cultural appreciation programs being reinstated in Fire Nation schools so that the next generation appreciates the cultural, spiritual, and environmental impact of the dragons on our nation.' Zuko, Katara, and Aang eyed her in amazement. 'What? I'm dating the Firelord. I look through the occasional royal decree.'

Despite the situation, Zuko smiled widely. 'I love when you talk about policy.'

Katara snapped her fingers under the Firelord's nose. 'Zuko. Focus.'

The Sun Warrior Chief studied the young Firelord closely. 'But how can you be trusted? We asked you and the Avatar not to tell anyone about our civilisation or the existence of the masters on your last visit.' He gestured to the two girls. 'Clearly you betrayed your word.'

Aang rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. 'Yeah, about that… our friends Sokka, Toph, Teo, Haru, and The Duke might also know.' The Chief shot him a withering stare. 'I'm sorry for betraying your trust, Mister Sun Warrior Chief Sir.'

Katara and Mai rolled their eyes. 'Boys,' they intoned at the same time, shaking their heads.

The Sun Warrior Chief leaned towards Aang to whisper. 'Why did you bring those two?'

Aang's sheepish expression only got worse. 'After Zuko and I had these nightmares about fire and dragons, we decided we had to come check on the masters. When we told them we were leaving, Katara and Mai said that we'd need them. They really wouldn't take no for an answer… and we thought it would be… erm, easier if they just came along.' The two men glanced over at the girls. Mai was twirling a sebon between her fingers with practiced ease while Katara pointed first at Aang and then drew her finger across her throat.

Aang smiled nervously and sidled away from the Sun Warrior Chief.

The Chief turned back to Zuko, a wary expression printed across his face. 'There was once a tradition passed down from the ancient ones. When a dragon hatched for a man or woman, it became the sole responsibility of that person to raise the hatchling to maturity. It was a sacred responsibility that shaped even the most cowardly to fulfill their destiny.' He glanced up at Ran and Shaw high above them, his resolve strengthening.

'Firelord Zuko,' he began in a formal tone. 'You are charged with the protection and duty of this dragon until he is old enough to defend himself. In the meantime, you are to raise him in total secrecy. In addition, you are to continue to instill respect for the dragons in your people, and to outlaw dragon hunting. Do you accept?'

Zuko winced as the dragon dug his claws through his robe and into his skin. 'I do.'

The Sun Warrior Chief nodded sagely. 'Very well then.' He smiled at the baby dragon. 'What will you name him?'

'Huh? Oh…' Zuko glanced at the little red face by his ruined cheek and thought of the legends of dragons. The Sky People, the Thunder People. The Dragon Druk of the Storm… The hatchling caught him staring and gave a warbling screech that would one day deafen those who heard it. 'Druk,' Zuko said with certainty. 'I'll call him Druk.'

* * *

Later, when Katara, Mai, Aang, and Zuko (with Druk in tow) made their way back to Appa, Aang dropped back to help the encumbered Firelord.

'Druk— argh! No, not my lip!' Young Druk had discovered a seemingly endless supply of enthusiasm now he'd got the hang of his arms and legs. He screeched playfully, batting at Zuko's grasping hands with his wings.

The dragon thought it was a game.

'Maybe try pinning his wings,' Aang suggested, grinning at Zuko's dishevelled disdain. 'Appa used to maul my arms when he was teething, but if I squeezed him really tight, he'd just purr and go to sleep.'

Zuko shot Aang an annoyed glare as Druk escaped his grasp and climbed clumsily up the Firelord's chest to perch on top of his head.

'You better not need to wee while you're up there,' he told the dragonling sternly, trying not to knock the young dragon off balance and incur his sharp grasping talons.

Aang laughed, marvelling at the deep red dragon. 'Don't worry, Zuko, Appa and I will help you. You won't have to raise him alone.'

Gratitude flooded the Firelord's body. He had barely begun to anticipate the challenges Druk would present. Having his friend's support would make raising the dragon much more bearable. Somehow he couldn't see Mai helping by walking the wriggling, scaled monster around the palace gardens…

'Thanks, Aang.'

The Avatar stretched his arms high over his head. 'How hard could it be, raising a dragon?'

Zuko couldn't help but think that Aang was tempting the spirits. 'Maybe…' Where would the dragon sleep? How would he get food for him? What about his other… bodily needs? 'Hey, Aang… do you think dragons can wear diapers?'

Aang looked decidedly disturbed at the implication.

The two boys shared a significant look before calling on someone with a lot more experience with babies than either of them. 'Katara!

* * *

 **Our mini-series uses the characters Sun Warrior Chief (A), Zuko (B), Sokka (C) and Chong the Nomad (D). The other parts are as follows:**

 **Part 1 | You are here!**

 **Part 2 |** _ **The Dragon's Out of the Bag**_ **by ManofManyHats**

 **Part 3 |** _ **Of Prickle-Snakes and Armadillo Lizards**_ **by misszeldsayre**

 **Part 4 |** _ **Nomad Discretion**_ **by FictionIsSocialInquiry**

 **The locations of the other three parts are on my profile, check them out!**


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